A Zen Buddhist, Security Professional, Paramedic using multimedia to document the journey.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Moments

We've all had them. They're familiar to us, we recognize them when we're in "the moment". Some refer to them as the "ahhh moments" of our life, which I believe sums the feeling up perfectly. More objectively maybe, moments of clarity, greater understanding, perfection, realization. Without being a poet, these moments in our lives are difficult to explain to one another, however we all know them.

Recently I've come to believe that, at least for me, these "ahhh moments" are the voice of God talking to me in a quiet and deeply personal way, urging me to live in the moment that he has provided for me, sharing it with him. God has cleared away life's distractions so that I can exist in this very moment of time, where objects, actions and ideas suddenly become clear and understood.

It has taken me 47 years to come to this point of understanding, but looking back I can see similar moments of perfection and peace where the hand of God was fully present in my life.

Down in the aerobars, hammering along the sun-scorched roads near Homestead, Florida. A seemingly unending reservoir of power and strength in my legs.

My first taste of Laphroaig.

Browsing the stacks of a Tampa bookstore and out of no where experiencing my first glimpse (kensho) of understanding the Zen Buddhist concept of "nothingness". It dropped me to my knees and made me laugh out loud.

An afternoon meal at La Mar restaurant in Lima, Peru.

Looking a young Haitian boy in the eyes as he struggles with his crutches. He smiles at me.